WINNER - BEST MOTION PICTURE (3RD ANNUAL VIZEIT FILM AWARDS)
Cillian Murphy. © 2023 Universal Pictures, Syncopy Inc., and Atlas Entertainment. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Vizeit Reviews is in solidarity with the WGA & SAG, however, SAG will allow film critics to continue their normal movie critiques as usual but with certain restrictions.
Watched it in 70mm Film & in IMAX @ Cinemark
The World Forever Changes World War II was such a critical event in human history. The conflict was so grand that it defied expectations of violence, politics, and the future of the world. All because of one man, J. Robert Oppenheimer. The man who rumbled the earth and the face of Barbenheimer. No pink in the film which sucks but it didn't stop Christopher Nolan from bringing this story come to life in the biggest format possible. Experiencing this film on IMAX and for the second time in an actual 70mm film theater was fantastic. Both formats really brought the story to a grander scale that no biopic film has ever done in years. This is the film that I have been waiting for in 2023 and I'm happy to say that, like in World War II, it destroyed my expectations. Let's go back to 1940s New Mexico, to the vast empty lands and witness together the first nuclear test in history. Story: During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appointed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spent years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work came to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witnessed the world's first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history. Before the first ever footage was released alongside NOPE, I was already hyped to see how Christopher Nolan would tackle a real-life scientist about his work on the atomic bomb. I think the film could've been epic, big, and realistic. Well, after watching the film twice now, I was right. However, this film didn't have a lot of action, but it did have intense dialogue and direction that made the dialogue scenes feel like action scenes. Now that's incredible. Some audience members will be lost during the dialogue sequences but Nolan tries to elevate that with magnificent visuals to keep the audience engaged. However, even if Nolan didn't direct this film, Nolan's screenplay of the film is fantastically written. Since the screenplay book came out, it points out that the film is half objective and subjective. The book also indicates that the color sequences are all in first-person point of view from the perspective of Oppenheimer. All of that together combines an intense screenplay that Nolan or maybe even Oppenheimer would've imagined how these events and moments would be viewed before the bomb. The screenplay takes a deeper look into the relationships between Oppenheimer, his friends and colleagues, and the intricacies of their work as they toiled to create the bomb. The film then follows the trial that happened after the end of the war. One little detail that made Oppenheimer's POV distinctive is the inclusion of Oppenheimer's wife's point of view since she's the only personal attachment to Oppenheimer. Even a tiny bit from Oppenheimer's ex-girlfriend before he met his real wife. Even though the film is heavily on Oppenheimer's view, it changes to the objective point of view through the eyes of Lewis Strauss. However, it's not just his POV, but the real-life facts of Oppenheimer's trial, including how some of the public viewed him during the crucial events. The black & white sequences really brought Oppenheimer into a different view that may change the audience's perspective while watching the film. It's a smart and interesting move that will make the dialogue more action than tension and it opens the life of Lewis Strauss into a lighter or darker side depending on how people view the film. Strauss's scenes felt very villainous and seeing the hardcore facts about the trail felt like a documentary. With the intense dialogue from Strauss and how the scenes were filmed like a documentary, it felt like two movies at once. I really loved that Nolan tried something new from his previous film, especially when he started to change his story structure from Interstellar. Both the color and black & white sequences served to flesh out the differing perspectives that exist within the story. The time-jumps were not confusing to me because of the in-depth research I did around the film, and by the third act, I had started grasping the storytelling technique Nolan was using (you might be aware of his directing style that involves non-linear and anachronistic stories like Memento for example). I started to think that the formats were a tool to distinguish facts from public opinion. It's brilliant in many ways and the way it ends in color with its final scene really impacted the whole message of the entire film. All of this wouldn't happen without Nolan himself. Christopher Nolan elevated the biopic sub-genre into something more epic. A simple biographical story turned into a cinematic action film had never been done in that style before in Hollywood. Especially for this kind of story which includes WWII but does not take place on the frontlines of the bloody war. Nolan directs this film like it's a typical Nolan film but he changes up his style with the two different color formats and also presents this film as a mix of documentary and fiction. Nolan wants to make every scene feel impactful. The way he directs dialogue gives you the impression that you are immersed in an action sequence. That pacing is emphasized by the work of fantastic editor Jennifer Lame (Black Panther, Marriage Story, Tenet). Nolan takes every opportunity to try something new with this film and it keeps working in terms of directing actors. For example, Nolan keeps his supporting actors like background characters for a bit until something critical comes up to them. Plus, he focuses only on tow points of view: Oppenheimer and Lewis Strauss. These two differing views created a connective tissue that made the story easier to follow. Nolan worked not to spread himself too thin. The way Nolan directs his lead actor Cillian Murphy really elevates the character but gives Murphy the chance to try new things and lead the cast. Cillian and Nolan are the real leaders of this film and Nolan takes this opportunity to make a simple story with a packed cast into a cinematic epic that will live on for decades. Besides directing his actors, Nolan changed his visual directing to a whole new level. Sometimes, Nolan operates the camera and goes crazy in his visual direction. More than any Nolan film, there are a lot of close-ups and wide shots and there's a reason why. Since this is about Oppenheimer, the film leans into the psychological side and Nolan captures tight close-ups of Oppenheimer to capture his feelings. Not only that, Nolan mixes in practical effect shots of the nuke, radiation, and other scientific elements to show what Oppenheimer is really thinking and make certain scenes more intense without any action elements. Nolan also utilized epicness in the most critical scene of the entire film which was the Trinity test. That scene alone really elevated the scope of the film after the test sequence and set the biopic sub-genre to its peak. The scope itself brought the film to new territories that no filmmaker had ever encountered before. It's quite a challenge for Nolan but he managed to bring a huge action-level scope into a grounded biopic film by making smaller scenes feel personal, bigger dialogue scenes shot like an action film, and emotional scenes feel like documentary yet cinematic. It's all the flavors into one and Nolan balanced it out very well to make this film stand out from just a normal war story into a once-in-a-lifetime event film that has to be seen in the biggest theater possible. I'm happy that Nolan took this story into an epic but he cannot do it without the special use of his good old IMAX cameras and his collaborator since Interstellar.
Nolan really loves to use his IMAX 70mm film cameras and it was expected that he will use those cameras again for this film. However, since it was a biopic, it would be an interesting challenge for Nolan to take on. However, Nolan's frequent DP, Hoyte van Hoytema, really took Oppenheimer's visuals to a whole new level and made it feel as authentic as possible. Hoytema used the IMAX format in new territory that IMAX had never explored. The biggest one being the use of B&W film in IMAX 70mm film. Kodak collaborated with IMAX to create it for this film and it looks absolutely fantastic, especially on IMAX 70mm film or on standard 70mm B&W film. Since there were no action scenes with the exception of the nuclear test sequence, the IMAX scenes were used constantly during wider shots and important dialogue sequences. The shallow depth of field really supported the huge scale of the film and the gritty look of Oppenheimer tailed what Nolan envisioned for the visual storytelling. Not only that, but the audio in IMAX is also very explosive and great. I'll go a bit in-depth with the general audio later on but in the IMAX format, it was definitely very loud. Especially during the nuclear test sequence which is the main selling point of the IMAX experience. Overall, the IMAX image looks unreal, however, after seeing the film in both standard IMAX and 70mm film, I would say 70mm is the way to go. The 70mm film image looks clear and crisp with unique colors different from standard digital. While it's not a bigger image, I was still sucked into the story with the beautiful raw cinematography and feeling that it was taken back in the 1940s. Watching a film in a real 70mm film feels very different from IMAX and I'm glad I saw both. Hoytema really stepped up his game with this film and I cannot wait to see what he will innovate next with IMAX and the future of film.
Funny that I haven't even got to the performance because that's where the heat of the film is really located. From the moment that Cillian Murphy was announced as the lead, I was immediately hooked on what type of cast Nolan would take on. Every month until the release of the film, a lot of big talented, and recognizable rising stars took onto the film, and in the end, it became one of the biggest ensemble casts of all time. This huge ensemble cast is fantastic on every level. Everyone in this cast did an amazing job or gave their best performance in their careers. Nolan really pushed everyone to their limits through their respective characters and it shows that through their chemistry with Oppenheimer or other characters around. Before we get to Cillian's performance and character, the supporting cast really brought the background to life and made Cillian's performance more impactful than ever. One of the standouts would be Josh Hartnett's performance as Ernest Lawrence. His performance really shined and his friendship with Oppenheimer was the strongest. Easily Hartnett's best career performance and that includes many other actors in the film. Tom Conti as Albert Einstein was surprisingly very good and he had quite some screentime than I expected. I enjoyed Gary Oldman's quick cameo as President Truman since he is a frequent collaborator with Nolan in The Dark Knight trilogy. I loved Benny Safdie's performance including the other scientists in the room with Oppenheimer like Jack Quaid, Josh Peck, David Krumholtz, and many others. The government personnel as well including standout performances from Dane DeHaan, Jason Clarke, and obviously Matt Damon. There are so many recognizable actors in the film that it felt like a genuine real old cameo. Emily Blunt as Oppenheimer's wife was also fantastic and I can easily see her snagging an Oscar nomination soon. Florence Pugh's chemistry with Cillian Murphy's character was also solid but I wish we could've got more of her on-screen. Yet, for the time she was given, it was great! Matt Damon really brought his A-game into the film and I was surprised the given screen-time he had. He did a terrific job of bringing this character into a likable view with Oppenheimer and his friendship with Oppenheimer was also very great. The main antagonist Lewis Strauss, played by Robert Downey Jr., was absolutely amazing and it's Downey's best performance in his career and probably since Tropic Thunder. His character attempts to crush Oppenheimer but with the counter results in the final act, the way he takes it was so satisfying which elevated Downey's performance and what future will his real-life character will take into. Overall, the supporting cast is fantastic but we cannot forget the main lead which is Cillian Murphy himself as Oppenheimer. Murphy really delivered a career performance with his complex representation of a real-life person that shaped not just the war but the future itself. He is in almost every scene in the film and it's surrounding him. He is at the forefront of the creation of the bomb. It feels like this is the true Oppenheimer on-screen and Murphy made sure that his character stays true to its core. It's phenomenal and easily the best performance of the decade so far. So much work to bring this character to life, however, Murphy took it very seriously and in the end, he was born to play this role. I'm so happy that he finally got his chance to shine as the main role in this epic Nolan film. Even though the actors and the director are at the forefront of this epic film, the whole production team really put all of their effort into creating a beautiful production that looks straight out of the 1940s. Bringing these events to life isn't easy for the big screen but the fantastic film crew really made it as authentic and epic as possible. The production design is fantastic with the recreation of Los Alamos and bringing the nuclear test site to life. Everything is almost practical and the costume design here is flawless. I really liked Oppenheimer's different clothing he wore during his time and seeing each period changing through sets, clothing, and props. I'm glad that Nolan relocated the budget to the sets to make the film as authentic as possible. The make-up is also very well done, especially during the final act of the film. As I mentioned earlier, the editing is great for this type of film and it kept the pacing strong throughout the film. The music is absolutely jaw-dropping. Ludwig Göransson's music really elevates certain moments in the film to fill that epicness bubble and to create a feeling that this is an event that will change the future. His rhythmic style is still present to create this intense feeling and by the end of the film, you would immediately play the entire soundtrack and recognize which music was composed for a certain scene. Lastly, the practical effects and VFX here are amazing and I'm happy that the bomb recreation was all practical with some VFX to bring up the energy on screen. Overall, the production is fantastic and I'm happy to see Nolan utilizing every penny on screen to make this film as authentic and epic as possible on a $100 million dollar budget. Now that's dedication. I cannot forget the sound design which is a controversial thing now in Nolan films. This time, however, it was much better than Tenet, and seeing this film in IMAX was definitely a huge improvement. Even though I really love this film, I still have some issues which is typical. The third act really started to take it slow with its story but it didn't ruin the overall pacing of the film. There are some moments that could've been shortened or cut out completely but I was still invested in them. I can't think of another flaw but overall, this film was epic from beginning to end. Christopher Nolan delivers another bombastic epic film with fantastic career performances, beautiful IMAX cinematography, and fantastic production design to bring Oppenheimer's story come to life! This was an absolute ride from start to finish and I was floored by every aspect of this film. The scope is bigger since Interstellar and this is Nolan's best film since The Dark Knight. One of the best cinematic experiences in a theater and on top of that, doing the Barbeheimer double feature was very special. I cannot wait to see what Christopher Nolan will cook next for the future of cinema. Now Playing Only in Theaters and in IMAX 70mm! (selected cinemas around the world) Vizeit Score: "A+"
(Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for continuing supporting my indie cinema website.)
Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
0 Comments
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. © 2023 Warner Bros, Heyday Films, LuckyChap Entertainment, NB/GG Pictures, and Mattel Films. Directed by Greta Gerwig.
Vizeit Reviews is in solidarity with the WGA & SAG, however, SAG will allow film critics to continue their normal movie critiques as usual but with certain restrictions.
Watched it in Dolby Cinema
She's Everything. He's Just Ken. After Greta Gerwig's two successful and critically acclaimed films, she's onto a new adventure by bringing dolls to life. Well...did it work? It did, in a big way. From many cinephile points of view, it's a Drive sequel because of Ryan Gosling. For the general audience, it's Margot Robbie as a Barbie. Barbie is a wonderful film for every type of audience and Greta understands the world around Barbie but also expanding what Barbie really is. Greta and Noah Baumbach really took the doll and created it something that people will relate to, no matter what you are. Let's explore Barbieland and see what all the Barbies and Kens are doing in their daily lives. Story: Set in the colorful Barbie Land, stereotypical Barbie lives a perfect life every single day. One day, she shows signs of being...a human. She decides to go to the Real World to find the cure in order to make herself perfect again. Since the announcement of this film with Greta and Noah attached to the project, I was immediately hyped to see how these indie filmmakers would tackle this project. Well, they made this film hilarious, emotional, and fun! One of the biggest elements of this film that really worked for this film is the satire of modernization. We know that Barbie is mostly for girls but it's also for some boys too with Ken being part of the collection. However, Barbie really takes it to the next level by applying modernization to kids' toys and making them hilarious yet so real and true. After the second act, we see Kens acting way different and it questions the look of men through the eyes of the world. Feminism is a big key in this film and while I'm a guy writing about a Barbie film review, it worked on both parts. I loved the way how Greta took the version of Ken and made it relatable while still making it feel real in the context of Barbie. Those ideas that Greta played with, really shaped a different story from what the trailers promoted. Right into the second act, I thought the film was going to be over but I'm happy they kept going the momentum before arriving to the third act. The main themes presented in this film really started to kick in within the third act and by the end, it's a satisfying payoff that audiences will be pleased with. I loved the ending and the way Greta directed it was emotional and right into the core of the brand. By the end, I wanted more but I feel like that is a great ending that doesn't need to overstretch its runtime. The plot overall really worked and seeing it progress from a simple story into something greater and personal really made the theme and overall message more impactful with its ending. That really made this film from great to fantastic and I was worried that this film will go into The Lego Movie route. Even though I love that film, I hope they won't do a cheap plot route on that beloved animated film. However, it took its own spin and went more deeper since this film is more lenient to audiences who grew up on Barbie. Even though it's a PG-13 film, the message is aimed at all ages and it worked great. I didn't even get to the cast of the film but everyone did a fabulous job with their roles.
The cast in this film is amazing and Margot Robbie really delivered one of her best performances since I, Tonya. Her performance captures what Barbie truly means to the fans and with Ryan Gosling as the addition as Ken, it captures the iconic duo in this crazy world of Barbie. Gosling's character goes way more campier in terms of tone while his character arc goes into an interesting route that you may never expected. America Ferrera was amazing in this film and her character really captured what older audiences missed about Barbie while Ariana Greenblatt represents the current generation's view of Barbie. It's two minds and worlds colliding into finding a route that will unite everyone who loves and hates Barbie. I really like their mother and daughter duo and Ferrera's speech was well done. The other cast members are also amazing and hilarious. The different versions of Barbie are pretty great including Issa Rae and Kate McKinnon. The different versions of Kens are also hilarious, especially Simu Liu and you cannot forget the underrated performance from Michael Cera as Allan. The cast together really brought out all the energy that the film was capturing and even with the human characters, everyone really made this film special and energetic. I bet the production was fun too because the production itself looks fantastic.
The production design is truly outstanding and it's mostly practical thanks to the production designer Sarah Greenwood. The world of Barbie is out of this world and the film captures the toy world into something grander than life. From the houses to the streets and even to the small toy details, it feels like you are living within their world. The costume design is also fabulous with each Barbie being unique to its own and seeing Margot Robbie in a cowgirl costume really made her character stand out during the real-world scenes. Even the makeup and hair design is also great for making each Barbie look different yet look the same. The cinematography here is also very great during the Barbieland scenes while still having the Gerwig visual look from her previous films. The original songs chosen here are also very good and the editing here is surprisingly very good. It's well paced and it doesn't overstay while still delivering the energetic flow of the story. Overall, the production of this film is fantastic but remember, not every film is perfect, even Oppenheimer. There are no major flaws but one of the elements that disappointed me was the visuals during the real-world scene. It looks dull which is intended but it feels dull on purpose and accidentally. I feel like the momentum was way much better in Barbie land rather than the real-world scenes but I was still invested in the journey of Barbie. Some of the jokes in the film didn't land for me and the film almost punched a needle into the politics but it did avoid that right in the final minutes of the film. That's all the negatives I have because this film really shined from start to finish. Being in Barbie land was fun but we have to move onto the nuclear test site before the nuke test starts. However, that being said, Barbie was an energetic film from start to finish. Greta captured the spirit of Barbie into something grander than life and brought some of the best material of this year and from her career. This is a outstanding third film from Greta and Margot Robbie keeps on killing it with her performances on each film she is in. Everyone did a great job in the film and I hope we get more Barbie films after this or just keep it like that because we need more female films before the studios realize it's the complete opposite. Can't wait to see what Greta Gerwig will cook next. Now Playing Only in Theaters! Vizeit Score: "A"
(Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for continuing supporting my indie cinema website.)
Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks. © 2023 Focus Features, American Empirical Pictures, and Indian Paintbrush. Directed by Wes Anderson.
Vizeit Reviews is in solidarity with the WGA & SAG, however, SAG will allow film critics to continue their normal movie critiques as usual but with certain restrictions.
Watched it at AMC Theaters
A Very Anderson Feature... Looking through the saturated orange colors and the bright blues across the frame, filled with a stacked cast in the composed frame, and the city that looks like a studio set, this is a film that cinephiles will love. Even if the story doesn't hold up for certain people, it will still grab their attention for this Anderson picture. This is Wes Anderson's follow-up from The French Dispatch and the way he tells this new story is unique but in order to keep it that way, he upped the dial on his visuals and the results are flashy yet interesting. Join me in Asteroid City and see what pot of land we can buy from Michael from The Office. Story: World-changing events spectacularly disrupt the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention in an American desert town circa 1955. Augie Steenbeck and his family are stuck in Asteroid City but they recollect themselves on their purposes of life, love, and technology. One of the biggest differences I noticed from his previous films is that this film's visuals are through the roof. This is basically Anderson's style up to one hundred percent, and it works well for this film's story. However, even with Anderson's amazing style of filmmaking, at its core, it's about the story and characters. His characters here have their unique identity that shapes the overall story, including the conflict which changed the whole town upside down. The main characters in the story played by Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Jake Ryan, and Tom Hanks really make this story flow but it's stacked by many characters. It jumps between stages and Anderson is famous for his unique story structure. The structure here in this film works well by jumping into the actual story and going out of the story to see the creation of it. I love some of the "breaking the 4th wall" moments and it pays homage to classic sci-fi films and television/radio productions. Since I learned TV and radio history, I was kind of geeking out for a few moments in between some transitions and little funny moments. Those little small moments make the story much easier to follow and help the characters interact a little bit more within their situation. The plot here is interesting and while it can be a little bit jolted in certain sequences, I was still hooked on the sci-fi elements that Wes Anderson introduced here. I liked how it explored different sections of the town and when the whole town is together, the energy starts to pile up in a good way. One unique element and pretty much one of the themes in the film is grief and moving on. Jason's character wants to grief of his wife's death with her ashes but he's not ready to tell it to his kids yet. However, he's in a town where he takes the opportunity to change his life decisions and rethink life. I really like the idea and themes here and it worked well, especially with the ending of the film. The film's ending felt real and is a reminder that we have to move onto a new life and step away from the grieving point. A city filled with emotions and nuclear testing. Still, it's not just focused on Jason's character but on every cast going through their emotions and points of their life to recover their-selves. All of that is told through a visually eye-popping view of this unique story brought by the production team of this film.
The cinematography of this film is stand-out amazingly with its great well-saturated color look with its iconic Wes Anderson style of composition. His composition and blocking of characters is still iconic to this day and he utilizes it very well here. Some will complain about its use of empty space but I love how it evokes loneliness and a grand scope of the city or area. The editing here is also well done and I loved the split-screen use in this film. It adds a little bit of comedic tone and ups the style of this film. The production design is fantastic in this film. I can't notice which building, prop, or even an area is real or a miniature. Even with VFX in this film, it looks very good. The costume design here is fantastic by making each setting fit and since this film is in color and in black and white, it makes the environment more distinct. I also loved some of the color effects which make the costumes stand out in both color and B&W. The music is also very great and I love the song choices which makes the film more jumpy. Overall, the production work is fantastic with the cinematography being the stand-out. Even with all of its positives, this film holds down within the dialogue and pacing.
One of the flaws I recently noticed in Wes Anderson's previous films including this one is his dialogue is so sparse that you can't understand the context behind it. In his previous film, it was a little bit easier to understand due to its exposition but in this film, it's way harder to understand. I was a bit lost during some of the important conversations which hurt the pacing of certain scenes. However, the final 20 minutes really cleaned up the dialogue and I understood what the film was trying to communicate. It's an interesting flaw that is happening in his recent films but that's the major flaw that was holding me back during the film. The story could've been more cleaner and understandable but with his visuals, it makes it more easier to follow up. Besides the confusing dialogue and loosely story, I was still invested in the world of Asteroid City. Even if this film wasn't up to the best of Wes's other films, it's still a solid film filled with great performances, eye-colorful cinematography, and a unique story that cinephiles will love or be lost at. It's still a great film and it shows that Wes still has the cinema power to bring small stories into larger-than-life colorful stories. Now Playing in Theaters and on VOD. Vizeit Score: "B+" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for continuing supporting my indie cinema website.) Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC]) |
Archives
April 2024
Categories
All
Copyright © 2024 Vizeit Reviews. All Rights Reserved. |